Technology in Salons
The benefits of upgrading
Why aren’t salons utilizing technology?
The number one reason is cost. Tech is expensive and requires a lot of money upfront. Most salons I’ve worked in have been relatively small and don’t have the excess budget to spend on tech. So it stands to reason that if the business is performing just fine why would tech be needed at all? Well, because the long-term gains of the investment could be well worth it.
The biggest benefit of technology is client satisfaction. Salons are competing with each other for clients, and the better service they can offer, the more likely someone is to continue going to the salon. Clients will also be more okay with paying higher prices for services if they feel like they are getting their money’s worth. During my time at salons, I’ve noticed a couple of examples of this.
- When one of the hairdressers at this salon got the new Dyson hairdryer her clients couldn’t stop raving about it. Even if, according to the hairdresser it wasn’t much better than what she had in the past her clients didn’t care. They knew the Dyson brand and thought they were getting higher quality service because she was using what they thought was the best hair dryer on the market.
- One of the salons I worked at used an Italian espresso machine. The clients loved it. Almost every new client that walked in the door would tell us how good it was. Our clients would even come in early sometimes so they could enjoy a cappuccino before their service. This small detail helped the salon stand out above the rest, and made the experience more enjoyable for our clients.
- Shampoo bowls can be rather uncomfortable for clients to sit in. Even though getting your hair washed is often the most enjoyable part, the awkward neck position, and the possibility of getting wet can take away from the experience. In one salon we had a mechanical chair that would raise all the way up and become horizontal like a bed. This chair allowed each client to sit in a position that was comfortable for them and avoid getting wet. It also had a built-in back massager, which made the experience even better.
- While I was working at this one salon we got new mirrors that were outlined with lights. Our clients were so excited about them. Even though they were just mirrors they would constantly ask about them and take selfies of their hair in the mirror. This technology in particular made our existing clients feel like they were supporting our business. A few of them told us it felt good to see the salon get an upgrade.
“The sole reason we are in business is to make life less difficult for our clients — Matt Odgers”
